That was EASY!

The following is the story of Luke coming into the world. I want to preface it by saying giving birth was not the most painful thing I've ever done. Twisting my ankle hurts a lot worse. Labor just lasts a lot longer.
I woke up to pee at 2 in the morning on 4/14. I'd been having cramps all nights and some contractions. I realized that I had bloody show at that time and was really excited because I thought I would have Luke that day. No such luck. The contractions continued on and off for the next few days. On Friday, 4/16 they started to get stronger. Aaron and I took the pups to the park and I had a few there. We went to the grocery store to get a few things since labor seemed imminent. I was having contractions in the bread aisle, by the frozen foods, next to the broccoli. It was happening. We checked out and headed home. My sister's play was opening that night and we were supposed to go. At 6pm I told Aaron to go without me because I was able to time the contractions. They came home a couple of hours later and things had picked up a bit. I was definitely getting uncomfortable. At 10pm we called Erin, our midwife, and told her what was going on. She said to take a bath, have a glass of wine and try to get some sleep. I did none of those things. I lay in bed and moaned through contractions. Aaron was next to me, trying to sleep I'm sure. At 130 am we called Erin because my water broke. I felt it a bit while sleeping between rushes, then I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom when I realized what was happening. I didn't want to have to change the sheets. The rushes really picked up after that. Erin arrived around 3 am and checked on me, then went to sleep on our couch. I have lost track of time at this point. I didn't have my glasses on so I couldn't see the clock for the rest of the day, which was a good thing. I spent a lot of time on the bed on my side just breathing through rushes and sleeping in between them. I took a bath and the rushes got a lot stronger there. They were peaking and not stopping. It was intense. I needed help to get out of the tub and couldn't stand up for a few minutes because they just wouldn't stop. After the bath Erin had me sit on the ball in front of my bed. It helped with the hip pain I was having. I still needed someone to squeeze my hips together during rushes. I felt like they were trying to disconnect from my body. Soon I felt like I had to push, but my body was not ready, I was only 6 centimeters. I had to get on the floor on all fours and pant through each rush so I wouldn't push. That was the hardest part of all, and it lasted for hours! Aaron was trying to feed me through all of this, but I was having none of it. I think I took 10 bites of apple sauce and ate half a banana the whole time. I was constantly urged to drink Recharge and water. I was very afraid of throwing up, and I just didn't feel hungry. Eventually we hit transition. I was FINALLY allowed to push, or just flow with the rushes. Aaron and I walked around our backyard during this time. Every couple of minutes I would hold on to him and "growl". We came back in and I lay in bed for a while so I could rest between rushes. After an hour of that, Erin encouraged me to sit on the toilet for a while. Apparently this is a great position to bring the baby down and boy did it work. But I couldn't have him just yet. I had to wait for the other midwife and the student to arrive. I was back to hands and knees and panting. The doorbell rang and I thought "sweet relief has arrived". It was a guy who wanted to wash our windows. RANDOM! and what timing. When the midwife and student arrived I said "Let's get this party started". I was fully dilated but Luke hadn't come down far enough, so back to the toilet to sit. Soon I felt his head and said "Let's get back to the bed". There was such a sense of urgency in my voice through the whole process if I spoke through rushes. In between I was cool as a cucumber. Aaron and I got on the bed. He sat behind me and I leaned on him. Pushing is such a strange sensation. You are not in charge of anything. Your body does this for you. I liken it to throwing up. You can't stop it, If your body wants something out, it pushes it out. There was no counting to 10, no chin to chest, no "aaand PUSH!", I growled when my body was pushing and I slept when it wasn't. The first couple of pushes I could feel his head, then I would relax and his head would turn and go back in. The 4th round of pushes, I couldn't relax. He just stayed there and my body kept pushing and pushing. I just breathed. Erin was saying "I see his eyebrows, now his nose! There's his sweet little mouth." Then a gush and he was out. I said "That was EASY", Erin said "all the mamas say that." Luke was placed on my chest, Aaron was crying behind me and said "he's perfect." Erin and the other midwives left our room and let us have some time with Luke. He was still attached and the cord was still pulsing. They came back in after 30 minutes and cut it so Aaron could hold him. Luke Tiberius Meyers was born at 605 pm on 4/17, his due date. He weighed 8 pounds, 6 oz and was 22 inches long. He really is perfect.

Single digits and phone calls.

I've hit another milestone in the pregnant community. Single digits. This means that my due date is no longer 224 or 99 or 35 days away. It's 9 days away. While this really means nothing, it's still exciting. A white, first time mom, on average, goes 10 days past her due date. That's ok with me. Luke will be here before I know it and I'll long for the days that I could take a 20 minute shower instead of using wipes to freshen up. The phone calls have already started. I am just as anxious as everyone else, probably more so. With technology these days, there will be facebook updates by Aaron and text messages and Bat signals out when labor starts.

35/35

Today is 37 days away from Luke's due date. Saturday will mark 35 weeks pregnant with 35 days to go. This is a big deal in the pregnant community. I'm starting to freak out a little. I've been teaching the sister how to clean the house and make some meals. I've had the husband taking out the trash and recycling. I bought a white board so I could make a chore chart for everyone. I know I won't be able to micro manage once Luke is here, but it's keeping me sane in the mean time. I just measured myself and I am 44 inches around. I've put on 20 pounds, but my regular jeans still fit besides not buttoning. I have an appointment once a week now and next week the midwives will come to the house to see where we live and meet our pups. I bought a couple of dresses yesterday and will try to get dressed everyday for the next few weeks. I was sick for a while and all I wore was sweat pants and a sweatshirt. Aaron got to come home to a snotty, coughing mess of a wife for a week and a half. Things are looking better now, though.

30 years and 3rd trimester woes.

Monday is my birthday. The big one. Three-oh. It's not really that big of a deal to me. I hated the beginning of my 20's. I felt so lost. I was confused by hypocrisy in my church, hurt by the lack of support from my family and just didn't know what to do. I met Aaron when I was 23 and things started to turn around. I left the church and I was looking for anything to grasp onto besides religion. I lucked out and fell into the arms of someone who was open minded and didn't judge me. He became my best friend, my room mate, my husband and the father of our unborn child. I don't know how it's possible to have enough love for more than one person, but I'm sure my heart will figure it out.
These pregnancy hormones are getting the best of me. I've been very reflective lately. Measuring what I need to hold onto and what I can let go of, emotionally. I've started nesting literally and figuratively. I've scrubbed the kitchen floor on hands and knees, then sat in the glider, held my belly and wept over my lost childhood and lack of a mother. I don't feel like I want a mother now, but I always wonder what it would have been like to be best friends with her. I don't want Luke to ever wonder if I love him.
Now on to the moans & groans and aches & pains that affect ones body during pregnancy. Sleeping is not fun. I always wake up achy. I had to buy breathe right nose strips because I'm snoring so loud it's waking Aaron up. I take the pups for 2 walks every day. The morning walk is taking longer and the afternoon park walk is getting harder. It's uneven terrain so the baby is jostled a bit and it hurts. I start out ok, but get a lot slower towards the end. The pups stay right by me, so I don't ever have to chase after anyone. I might be done with the park walks soon. Prenatal yoga is going well and we will finish up our birth classes on Monday. One thing our class midwife told us was to "deal with your shit". She said to let go of things and move on before labor starts, because they can stall your labor. It all makes sense to me. Here's the latest belly shot. It was taken yesterday. I'm 28 1/2 weeks.

New Year, new hair, new classes

Happy New Year! I cut 8 inches of my hair off today. Aaron said I could cut it as short as I wanted to as long as I dyed it RED. Deal. I love it, he seems ok with it. Luke won't be able to pull it. That's all that matters. We start child birth classes on Monday. It will be interesting to see how that goes. I'm also starting a pre natal yoga class on Monday morning. Once a week for 8 weeks. Hopefully I'll meet some mom friends. Luke is now the size of an eggplant. He is kicking all the time. It's fun to watch my stomach move. We are 1 week away from the 3rd trimester. I can't believe how quickly it has gone. Here's a new bump picture with the new haircut, too.

Now THAT'S a BUMP!

Luke is growing, so is my belly. We've put on 11 pounds and someone has decided to push my stomach out of his way. I've been dealing with heartburn and indigestion. I stop eating around 4 or 5 so I don't have to sleep sitting up. Aaron finally felt some kicks. It's tricky, baby Luke might be practicing karate and as soon as I tell Aaron to put his hand on my belly, he stops. I have a 23 week check up next Monday. I'm not having any different cravings. I did eat a whole pack of starbursts yesterday...but they were soooo good. Here are 2 belly pics, one is from 9 weeks ago (13 weeks 3 days) and the one on the right was taken today (22 weeks 3 days).

Where's the cute pregnant lady?

Yesterday was a doozy! Roo had a swollen lip so I took her to the vet. She decided to jump in the car before the hatch was open all the way and gouged her head. The vet said she probably ate a spider and it bit her on the lip in an effort to get away, as for the gouge, no stitches were required. Later we went to the park and on the way back, Roo barfed in the car. It was a winner of a dog day. I was wearing warm clothes because it was cold, when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I felt extra large and in charge. I couldn't wait to be pregnant and have a cute baby bump. I see cute pregnant women all the time. I am not one of them. I think I've popped a bit in the last few weeks.

flutters, kicks and a disapearing belly button

I felt the first kick on 11/11. It felt like someone thumping a melon, or in this case, my uterus. They are few and far between, but I know that's going to change. I was at the store yesterday and felt 3 strong kicks against my hand, so he's getting bigger. My stomach is tender to the touch and my belly button is getting shallow. Sleeping has been a bit of a challenge. I'm most comfortable on my left side, but not for 8 hours. I know this is only the half way point and I'm going to wish for the way I feel right now in 10 more weeks, but it's all relative. I have an appointment with the birth center on Monday. The last time I saw my midwife, she said my fundal height was high..."could it be twins?" I told her, "NO WAY! there's only 1 baby in there". She followed up with, "ultrasounds miss twins all the time." We had an ultrasound scheduled for a few days later, there's definitely only 1 baby in there. I heard that you can hear the baby's heart beat with a stethoscope around 20 weeks. I'm going to try to find a quality one before family visits next week. I think it will be fun.

Star Wha?

We're having a boy. His name is Luke Tiberius Meyers. He enjoys orange juice, apple cider and long walks with the pups. We are going for a Star Wars/Star Trek thing with his name. Aaron doesn't appreciate Skywalker as a middle name as much as I do. We hope to raise a geek, but will probably end up with a jock. We'll check back in 10 years.
The pregnancy as a whole is going great. The charlie horses and round ligament pain in the middle of the night aren't so pleasant, but I'm not complaining. I've been doing prenatal yoga videos and feel really good afterward. I can't tell for sure if I've felt him move, but I'm sure that will change in a couple of weeks. Cravings have stayed the same. I've had grapefruit for dinner more than once this week. I'm definitely getting my drv of Vitamin C. I am not going to get any flu shots this year. This is controversial to some, but the right choice for me. I've been taking vitamin D as suggested by my midwife. It raises your immune system, keeps you happy in the dark, cloudy months and helps baby have more bone density. There are other benefits as well. Here's a small article I found on the subject.

We're having a...

BABY! I'll post it on facebook after 3pm pst. My intuition was correct. Aaron had a dream 2 months before I was pregnant about following our child around and what it was. He was correct as well. Maybe it doesn't mean anything, but it's still fun to think about. I'm being vague to keep it a secret from my FIL. It's a little more real every day. TTFN.

it's a boy...or a girl...

Tomorrow is the big ultrasound and also some more blood work. We went back and forth on finding out what we're having. It will be as much of a surprise tomorrow as it would in 5 more months. 1/2 of my inlaws want to know, I don't know how that's going to work. The blood work is for the second half of the quad marker test. It tests for spina bifida and other neural tube defects. At 16 1/2 weeks, I can no longer sleep on my stomach and am having a lot of pulling and pain if I do anything too strenuous. Still haven't felt the baby move yet, but it should start any day. The craving of the week is definitely citrus. Orange juice and pineapple juice, grapefruits, pineapple. I can't get enough of it. Here's a new belly pic for comparison. What a difference 3 weeks makes!

Craving of the week and crazy emotions

I don't have much to report. I have noticed an over reaction to little things. I had my heart broken because my husband thought a girl that looks nothing like me was pretty. I was crushed and at the same time, knew it was ridiculous. He'll never say that again. I've also noticed cravings more and more. Lately it's been bananas. Which is much better than last weeks nacho craving. All I wanted was cheese sauce and jalapenos. Yesterday we were on a walk with the pups and I swore I smelled bananas. I had one when we got home, and I made banana pudding with bananas on top for dessert. I ate a waffle with peanut butter and a banana on top for breakfast. Maybe the next craving will be salad. Until then...

2nd Trimester and The Battle of the Bump

It was bound to happen. I knew it was coming. I even prepared for it. I bought 4 pairs of maternity pants at Goodwill and wore them for the first time yesterday. I can't believe I was so uncomfortable for so long. I showed them to Aaron...he said he was sorry I was so fat with child. That's how he shows his love. Jerk. We've hit the 2nd trimester and will find out what we are having in 4 weeks. It feels like it is going by so fast, yet not fast enough. I'm starting to show a little bit, but there is still a bit of "not baby" bump that will round out in a couple of months. Here's a sneak peek of what's to come...

Feeling good in the neighborhood.

I've been feeling pretty good since about 8 weeks. I still have "dog nose" and can smell everything. I've gained 3 pounds and still have some food aversions. I haven't felt nauseous at all for 3 weeks and have been drinking water by the gallon. So many amazing and strange things happen to ones body when pregnant. Even at 11 weeks, I am amazed at the changes I am already experiencing. Our next appointment is September 29th at the birth center. We'll be able to hear the heart beat on the doppler, then October 1st we are meeting with a genetic counselor to see if Aaron and/or I are carriers of anything. It's a precautionary measure because Aaron is an Ashkenazi Jew and could be a carrier of TaySachs and other horrible things. I'm sure everything will be clean and little beluga is safe from all genetic abnormalities.

What's in a name?

Beluga is a great name for a fetus. Not a 5 year old. We have thrown names around for a couple of years. If we had a boy 2 years ago, he might be named Luke Skywalker Meyers. I'm still for it, the Mr, not so much. We agreed on a girl name 2 years ago, and finally decided on a middle name for her. The boy name is impossible to agree on. Jack, Joseph, Luke, Jonah, Noah, Isaac...all shot down. We have a middle name for our son, but no first name. So, if we have a boy, Beluga Tiberias Meyers it is! (I'm kidding, mom.)

ETA: I've just been informed, Luke and Noah are back on the table :)

Baby Beluga

We are having a little whale! Well, that's what s/he looks like at 7 weeks 3 days. We saw Beluga's heartbeat and this pregnancy is starting to feel a little more real now. I'm feeling pretty ok right now, but there are good days and bad days. We've decided to go with a birthing center. The doctor I've met with only works with the hospitals and that's not where I want to deliver. The main birth center in Eugene is being relocated and will not be completed and reopened until Mothers day. That's a few weeks too late. Having a baby is a lot like planning a wedding. There is so much to do, but you can't do it all at once. When I get a little overwhelmed, I try to remember that there are still 7 months to go. Aaron wanted to start buying furniture and painting the nursery right away. I'm just trying to eat enough food every day.

August 5, 2009

This was the day I knew I was pregnant. I woke up still tired. I didn't want to eat breakfast. I was extra sneezy and thought I was coming down with something. Then it hit me. I'm either sick, or I'm pregnant. As someone who has meticulously charted their cycles for 10 months, I had a stock pile of dollar tree pregnancy tests. I got home from running errands that day and decided to test. It was negative so I threw it in the trash. Then I realized that I didn't wait long enough for a result and dug it out. There, on the counter, were 2 little pink lines that would change my life forever. I couldn't believe it, yet knew it all along. Aaron was at work when I found out, and I wanted to tell him in person. I went to the store and bought a digital test. I drank 2 liters of water and was on the phone, arguing with dish network when Aaron got home. I got off the phone with them and went to the bathroom to take the digital test. That was the longest 60 seconds of my life! The hour glass on the test was just blinking, blinking, blinking. Then, finally, PREGNANT. I came out of the bathroom and told Aaron I'd gotten him something. I handed him the test, he smiled wider than I've ever seen him smile. Then he hugged me and said "congratulations."